Semiconductor testing equipment with probe formed on a cantilever of a substrate

ABSTRACT

The conventional semiconductor element testing equipment is arranged to position each probe accurately and need a burdensome operation for fixing, and includes only a limited number of electrode pads and chips to be tested at a batch. An equipment for testing a semiconductor element is arranged to keep each of electrode pads formed on a semiconductor element to be tested in direct contact with each of probes formed on a first substrate composed of silicon, one of electric connecting substrates disposed in the equipment. On the first substrate, each probe is formed on a cantilever and a wire is routed from a tip of each probe along a tip of the cantilever to the electrode pad formed on an opposite surface to the probe forming surface through an insulating layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for testing a semiconductor element or device, and more particularly to a method for testing a highly reliable and high-yield semiconductor device and its electric characteristic by doing an efficient test of the electric characteristic of the semiconductor element in a semiconductor manufacturing process, such as a probing test and a burn-in test to be done for a wafer.

A process of manufacturing a semiconductor such as an IC and an LSI may be generally divided into a first process from the start to the formation of an integrated circuit on the surface of a silicon wafer, and a second process from the end of the first process to the separation of the silicon wafer into chips and sealing of each chip by resin or ceramics.

In the semiconductor device manufactured in the process, the electric characteristic of each circuit contained in the semiconductor is tested for checking if each chip is defective.

This electric characteristic test may be roughly divided into a probing test for checking if the conduction between the circuits is defective, a burn-in test for acceleratively separating good circuits from defective ones by applying thermal and electric stress onto the circuits at a high temperature of about 150° C., and a final test for testing the circuits through the use of a high frequency. In the final test to be done with the high frequency, it is desirous to use a testing system of fast operation in which the fast device is tested by means of a super high frequency.

The foregoing various kinds of testing methods just need a similar connecting means between a wafer or a chip to be tested and an external testing system. Concretely, a conductive minute probe is mechanically pressed on an electrode pad made of aluminum alloy or another alloy, the electrode pad being patterned on the wafer to be tested at pitches of several tens to one hundred and several tens micro millimeters, several tens to one hundred and several tens micro millimeters per side, and in thickness of about 1 micro millimeter.

Recently, in place, a system for testing bare chips being formed on a wafer is designed, because some customers are requesting bare chips not to be packaged such as a MCM (Multi Chip Module). The technology of doing a burn-in test for a wafer has been described in JP-A-8-148533. This burn-in test is executed so that spots corresponding to electrode pads of a wafer to be tested are electrically connected with electrode pads of a testing substrate made of silicon through an anisotropic conductive film laid therebetween, and the probes are taken out onto the wafer to be tested through through-holes formed in the testing substrate. The electrical communication with an external equipment is performed through wires.

The testing method of the semiconductor device as mentioned above in the prior arts has the following problems.

At first, each cantilever with a probe formed of a silicon system material is junctioned with the corresponding insulated substrate surface. A troublesome operation is therefore required for positioning and fixing each probe at high precision. It means that this construction has difficulty in narrowing the pitch of the electric pads, thereby possibly lowering a manufacturing yield. Moreover, after each probe is junctioned on the insulated substrate surface, it is presumed that the heights of the probes are so variable that the probes cannot be formed at a constant height. Since the wires led from the probes are routed peripherally, the wires for electrically connecting the tips of the probes with an external testing system are formed on the substantially same level with the probe forming surface of the substrate. This inevitably needs to form all the external connecting terminals concentratively around the outer periphery of the substrate. It means that the area where the external connecting terminals are to be formed is limited. As a result, it becomes difficult to electrically connect lots of probes with the external. This inhibits to test a large area of the wafer to be tested at a time, that is, all the electrode pads of the wafer to be tested at a batch. Further, it is also presumed that the wires are made longer and thereby the measurement with a high frequency is made difficult.

In the conventional construction in which the routing of the wires is formed in the upper portion, the wires are led from the probes through the through holes. However, the wires to the piezoelectric elements are assembled by using plural substrates, so that the conduction is made defective by the positional shift of the wire between the substrates and the manufacturing yield is also made lower.

In the construction disclosed in JP-A-8-148533, the conduction between the electrode pads formed on the testing substrate and those formed on the wafer to be tested is through the anisotropic conductive film. Hence, it is presumed that the test of the device patterned at a narrow pitch is made difficult.

The foregoing prior arts do not consider the electrostatic capacity of the silicon. It means that the test of the fast device of 200 MHz or higher is made substantially impossible. In particular, the prior arts are constructed so that the through holes are formed in the silicon substrate. Thereby, this construction has difficulty in forming an insulating film to be thick on the side of the each through hole, and increases the electrostatic capacity of the silicon. As a result, it is unable to do the test with a high frequency. In the conventional each system, the matching of the impedance of the wires is not done. This makes it impossible to test a fast semiconductor element or device. It means the conventional system cannot cope with the fast semiconductor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an equipment for testing an electric characteristic of a semiconductor device which is constructed to solve the foregoing problems and enable the test of a large area to be done, that is, test all the electrode pads of the wafer to be tested at a batch, thereby improving the manufacturing yield and reducing the manufacturing cost, by which method the inexpensive and highly reliable semiconductor device can be manufactured.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor testing equipment which is constructed to test a diversity of semiconductor elements or devices from a slow to a fast ones.

In order to achieve the objects, in a testing equipment for testing a semiconductor element by keeping an electrical connection between a plurality of electrode pads, which are formed on a semiconductor element to be tested, and probes which are formed on a first substrate made of silicon among a plurality of electric-connecting substrates located in the testing equipment, the probes are formed on a cantilever in the first substrate, and a wire is continuously connected from a tip of the probe to the electrode pad formed on an opposite side to a probe forming surface along a tip portion of the cantilever through an insulating layer.

In particular, in the first substrate having the probes formed thereon, a ground layer made of metal is formed within the first substrate, and a plurality of wires are formed on a surface of the ground layer through the insulating layer. A power line and a ground line of those wires are formed to be thicker than signal lines, and electrically conducted with the ground layer near the electrode pad. The signal lines are electrically conducted with the ground layer nearby the probe. Moreover, the thickness of the insulating layer may be preferably formed in the range of 3 μm to 30 μm.

Further, the first substrate is formed of low-resistive silicon, and a plurality of wires are formed on the surface of the first substrate through the insulating layer. The power line and the ground line of those wires are formed to be thicker than the signal lines, and are electrically conducted with the low-resistive silicon layer nearby the electrode pad. The signal lines are electrically conducted with the low-resistive silicon layer nearby the probe.

The insulating layer is formed of a first insulating film and a second insulating film. The first insulating film is formed of a thermal-oxidative film made of silicon dioxide, and the second insulating film is formed by a sputtering device or a CVD device or spin-coating or screen-printing an organic insulating material such as polyimide resin.

Further, the thickness of the first insulating film is 3 μm or lower and the overall thickness of the first and the second insulating films is in the range of 3 μm to 30 μm. Moreover, through the use of the foregoing structure and system, the testing equipment enables to test the fast device and thereby provides a quite inexpensive semiconductor element or electronic component to be tested.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a semiconductor testing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the semiconductor testing equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a probe and an electrode pad according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the probe and the electrode pad according to the embodiment of the-present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a probe and an electrode pad according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a probe and an electrode pad according to further another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a probe and an electrode pad according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a through hole for a wire formed in a probe forming substrate;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view from the probe side of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the same according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a semiconductor testing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the semiconductor testing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 16A-16G are views showing an outer appearance of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 17A-17F are views showing a manufacturing process of a structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 18A-18F are views showing a manufacturing process of a wire according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a view showing a manufacturing process of a wire according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The description will be expanded about the embodiments of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1-19. FIG. 1 shows the structure of a wafer batch testing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer batch testing equipment is constructed so that an easily transformable cantilever is formed on a probe forming substrate 4 and a probe 6 is formed at the tip of the cantilever or near it. On the probe forming substrate 4, a metallic wire 7 is led from the probe 6 to an electrode pad portion 3 b formed on the opposite side to a probe forming surface, along the tip portion of the cantilever through an insulating layer. The probe forming substrate 4 will be discussed below in detail.

The probe forming substrate 4 is fixed on an electric connecting substrate 8 by solder balls 9. In this embodiment, the solder balls are served to fix the probe forming substrate 4 and to electrically connect between them. As another method of the fixation and the electric connection, it is possible to select the method of forming silver paste, platinum paste, a metallic material insoluble at a temperature of 150° C. or lower, and a compound material by means of the screen printing and to sinter the material, for the purpose of doing the electric conduction and fixation.

The multi-layered wire is formed inside of the electric connecting substrate 8. This multi-layered wire serves to widen the interval between the adjacent electrode pads 3 c located at a narrow pitch to an interval between adjacent spring probes 14 provided on the multi-wired substrate 13 located on top of the electric connecting substrate 8. The electrode pads 3 c formed on the electric connecting substrate 8 are formed in a matrix manner and at a pitch of 800 μm. The electric connecting substrate 8 may preferably employ ceramics as the material, in particular, mullite in light of a coefficient of linear expansion. It has a closer coefficient of linear expansion to the silicon, because the burn-in test of various tests is executed at the temperature of 150° C. and thereby the probe and the electrode pad of the to-be-tested wafer made of silicon are not positionally slipped from each other.

Further, in order to protect the solder balls 9 from being crushed up to a certain extent by the pressure applied in the test, projections 10 for preventing buckling are formed around the probe-formed side of the electric connecting substrate 8. In assembly, a given gap is provided between each projection and the probe forming substrate 4. The size of the projection 10 is formed to be about 20% of the size (height) of the solder ball 9.

The electric connecting substrate 8 and the probe forming substrate 4 are fixed onto the multi-layered wire substrate 13 with bolts 12 by means of a jig 11. The jig 11 may use as its material a less thermally transformable material at the temperature of 150° C. or higher, for example, aluminum nitride or Invar. The inside of the multi-layered wire substrate 13 is structured to have a multi-layered wire on a glass epoxy material, which are connected to the inside multi-layered wire in which lots of spring probes 14 are formed. The spring probe 14 is an electric conductive terminal provided with a spring mechanism. Like the foregoing electric connecting substrate 8, this multi-layered wire substrate 13 provides a function of enlarging the wiring pitch from the side opposed to the electric connecting substrate 8 to the opposite side thereto. In a wafer batch testing section 16, the spring probes or the connecting pins 15 used for electrically conducting with the multi-layered wire substrate 13 are provided at a pitch of the electrode pads 3 e of the multi-layered wire substrate 13.

As described above, two substrates, that is, the electric connecting substrate and the multi-layered wiring substrate, are located between the probe forming substrate and the wafer batch testing equipment. The ground of the two substrates located therebetween will be described as follows. The electric wiring substrate is structured to have the multi-layered wires formed in the ceramics. This structure cannot be easily manufactured and needs a high manufacturing cost though it may offer highly accurate wiring layers. It means that the substrate cannot be changed easily. In changing the testing system or contacts, therefore, the multi-layered wiring substrate may be used which is manufactured more easily and inexpensively. Further, the application of those substrates to another testing equipment may be made easier because only the exchange of the multi-layered wiring substrate, which may be manufactured more inexpensively and easily, is needed.

Hence, the test can be executed merely by connecting the electric connecting substrate 8 and the testing section 16 with the spring probes located on the testing section 16 without having to use the multi-layered wiring substrate 13.

The wafer 2 to be tested is fixed on a fixing stage 1 through a vacuum chuck. The fixing stage 1 is structured to adjust its height in steps of several hundreds μm and the pressure in steps of several grams and to be moved vertically, horizontally and peripherally. The electrode pad 3 a formed on the wafer 2 is allowed to come into contact with the probe 6 provided on the probe forming substrate 4 as the pad 3 a and the probe 6 are being positioned with each other quite accurately. The foregoing structure provides a moving function for positioning on the side of the fixing stage. The present invention is not limited to this structure. In place, the moving function for positioning may be added to both the probe forming substrate or the probe forming substrate and the fixing stage.

In turn, the description will be oriented to the structure of the electric conducting means for sending and receiving an electric signal, located between the wafer batch testing section 16 and the wafer 2 to be tested. After the positioning of the electrode 3 a of the wafer 2 with the probe 6 of the probe forming substrate 4 is terminated, both the electrode 3 a and the probe 6 come into contact with each other through the use of the foregoing mechanism (the stage on the side of the wafer 2 is raised so that it may come into contact with the probe 6). Then, the probe forming substrate 4 is pressed onto the wafer 2 to such an extent as keeping the substrate 4 out of contact with the surface protective film 5. In this action, the warp and the inclination of the wafer to be rested are suppressed, the cantilever of the probe forming substrate is warped upwardly, and a certain amount of pressure is applied onto the electrode pad 3 a by the reaction against the warp.

In this embodiment, the pressure required for electric conduction is about 3 grams. More pressure may offer excellent electric conduction. Too large pressure, however, may damage the electrode pad 3 a. In addition, the wafer 2 to be tested includes the electrode pad 3 a made of aluminum and formed about 100 μm per side. The surface protective film 5 made of polyimide resin is formed on the periphery of the electrode pad 3 a in order to prevent the defective contact.

On the wires-except the electrode pad 3 b and the probe 6 of the probe forming substrate 4, the insulating film made of polyimide is formed so that the film may fill up a wire step. The insulating film coated on the surface of the probe forming substrate 4 may use any insulating material only if the material does not impair the surface protective film 5 of the wafer 2 and can withstand the temperature of 150° C. or more. The wires may have the structure wherein the wires are filled in the grooves formed in the probe forming substrate.

The electrode pad 3 a is made electrically conductive by making the electrode pad 3 a contact with the probe 6 of the probe forming substrate 4. The metallic wire is formed in a route from the probe 6 of the probe forming substrate 4 to the electrode pad 3 b formed on the opposite side to the probe-formed side. The electrode pad 3 b of the probe forming substrate 4 and the electrode pad 3 c located on the lower surface of the electric connecting substrate 8 are electrically connected by the solder balls. The electrode pads 3 c and 3 d located on the lower and the upper surfaces of the electric connecting substrates 8 are electrically connected through the multi-layered wires formed inside of the electric connecting substrate. The electric transfer between the electrode pad 3 d located on the upper surface of the electric connecting substrate 8 and the multi-layered wiring substrate 13 is executed through the use of the spring probe 14 formed on the multi-layered wiring substrate 13.

The spring probe 14 may reliably offer the electric connection even in case the substrate is wound without bringing about any defective conduction, by virtue of its spring mechanism. The use of the spring probe makes it possible to easily exchange the lower portion from the electric connecting substrate 8 even when changing an object to be tested. The spring probe 14 is connected to the electrode pad 3 e formed on the top of the multi-layered wiring substrate 13 through the internal wires. Further, the final electric transfer between the electric connecting substrate 13 and the wafer batch testing section 16 is executed through the use of the spring probes 14 or the connecting terminals 15 formed on the testing section 16.

The use of various substrates located as described above makes it possible to transfer an electric signal between the electrode pad 3 a of the wafer 2 to be tested and the testing equipment. Further, the lower portion from the electric connecting substrate 8 may be easily replaced according to the test type. Hence, the present testing equipment may apply to various kinds of testing methods to be discussed below.

The electric characteristic test of a semiconductor element or a semiconductor device comprises a probing test for determining whether or not the conduction between the circuits is good at a driving frequency of basically 30 MHz, a burn-in test for applying thermal and electric stress onto the circuit for several to several tens hours, at a high temperature of 150° C. and a driving frequency of 5 MHz and acceleratively selecting the bad circuits, and a final test for testing the circuit at a high frequency of 133 MHz or more. Basically, the semiconductor element or device may be selected according to each driving frequency.

Moreover, some LSI chips such as a run-bus DRAM may be tested at a driving frequency of 400 MHz or more or another LSI chips may be tested at a driving frequency of 1 GHz or more. The electric characteristic tests are continuously executed on the wafer. The testing equipment according to the present invention, therefore, makes it possible to make the probe forming substrate located in the testing equipment keep the probes into excellent contact with the electrode pads of the chip to be tested at a high temperature of 150° C. and be electrically operated at a fast speed.

In turn, the description will be oriented to the detailed structure of the probe forming substrate 4 with reference to FIGS. 2-7. FIG. 2 shows an outer appearance of the probe forming substrate.

The probe forming substrate 4 of the embodiment is made of a silicon material, and a cantilever 21 and a probe 6 on one side of the tip portion of the cantilever 21 are formed using the micro machining technique. The probe 6 may be positioned at the same site as the electrode pad of the wafer to be tested. The silicon probe of the embodiment is positioned accurately on the wafer because the silicon wafer is worked using the micro machining technique. The positioning accuracy depends on the mask accuracy. The general mask accuracy is equal to or lower than ±1 μm, which covers the relative positioning accuracy of the probe to be worked.

The wires 7 and 7 f are connected from the electrode pads 3 b and 3 f to the probe 6. Under the electrode pad and the wires are located a thick insulating layer 17 for preventing the conduction between the wires. The electrode pad 3 f includes a metallic layer 19 for conducting the ground line, formed under the pad itself (see FIG. 4). The wire 7 f indicates a power line or a ground line, which is (about 30 to 50 times) thicker in width than the other three wires 7 (signal lines). The test frequency for the signal lines are restricted by the electrostatic capacity. Hence, the width of the signal line may not be made so wider. However, since the power line or the ground line is conducted with the ground layer, those lines have no dependency on the electrostatic capacity, so that their widths may be made wider.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an A—A broken line of FIG. 2.

The surface of the probe forming substrate 4 made of a silicon material is covered by the ground layer 20. The ground layer may use any metal if it has a small electric resistance. In actual, copper is preferable because it has a low resistance. The insulating layer 17 is formed on the surface of the ground layer 20, on which the wire is formed from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b through the tip portion of the cantilever 21. The silicon material may have any resistivity. Preferably, it should have a higher resistance than 0.05 Ωcm. This is because if the silicon material is worked using the anisotropic etching of the micro machining technology, the dopants of boron serve to reduce the etching speed and to increase the amount of deformation, thereby giving an adverse effect on the working accuracy.

Further, the signal line is structured to be electrically conducted with the ground layer near the probe. It is preferable to form the insulating layer in thickness of 3 to 30 μm. In particular, the thickness of the insulating layer should be about 25 μm for fast testing.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a B—B broken line of FIG. 2.

The ground layer 20 is formed on the probe-formed surface and the opposite surface of the silicon material used for making the probe forming substrate 4. The surface of the ground layer 20 includes the insulating film 17 coated thereon, on the surface of which the electrode pads 3 b and 3 f are formed. The electrode pad 3 f is a power line or ground line and thus is structured to be conducted to the ground layer through the metallic layer 19.

In the foregoing structure, the power line and the ground line of the wires are electrically conducted with the ground layer around the electrode pad, while the signal lines are electrically conducted with the ground layer around the probe. This structure makes it possible to lower the noises and do a fast test with a high frequency. Further, in the case of applying the structure wherein the ground line and the signal lines are not conducted with the ground layer, if current is flown through the wires, the induced current is flown in the ground layer so as to cancel the current. It means that the inductance in this structure is made about half as large as that in the absence of the ground layer because of the influence given by eddy current. In some tests, therefore, this type of structure may be applied according to the testing condition.

In the embodiment, the cantilever is deflected to an extent of about 10 μm so as to come into contact with the electrode pad of the wafer to be tested. As shown in FIG. 5, therefore, the same thickness of the silicon wafer as the cantilever 21 may be used for making the probe forming substrate 4. This structure allows the displacement 10 μm of the cantilever to be absorbed by the gap of the solder ball having a diameter of 250 μm for fixing the probe forming substrate 4 onto the electric connecting substrate 8.

Further, it is preferable to form the probe of a silicon material in light of reliability. As shown in FIG. 6, after the ground layer 20 and the insulating layer 17 are formed on the cantilever 21, the metallic probe 22 may be formed. In this case, the probe 22 may use the same material as the material of the wires or the different metal. It is preferable that the metallic probe may be made of a low-resistive and hard material. The material except the metal may be applied to the formation of the probe if the condition is met.

As in the foregoing structure, the insulating film 17 is formed under the plurality of wires 7, under which the ground layer 20 is formed. The power line or the ground line is conducted with the ground layer close to the electrode pad and the signal lines are conducted with the ground layer close to the probe. This structure makes it possible to eliminate the adverse effect given by the noise, reduce the inductance, and match the impedance of the wires to that of the measuring system.

The testing equipment constructed to use the probe forming substrate according to the present invention serves to prevent the influence of the signal of each wire onto the adjacent wire. The matching of the impedance between the wires and the measuring system makes it possible to do a fast test at a high frequency.

Another embodiment of the present invention about the structure of the probe forming substrate will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Like FIG. 3, FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of the probe forming substrate provided if the signal line is applied to the wire.

On the surface of the probe forming substrate 4 is formed a thermal oxidative film 23 made of silicon dioxide. An insulating layer 18 is formed on the surface of the electrode pad 3 b and the slope to the cantilever. On the surface of the insulating layer 18 is formed a wire 7 leading from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b through the tip portion of the cantilever 21. The wire near the probe 6 is conducted to the ground layer 20 through the metallic layer 19.

The use of a low resistive silicon wafer for the probe forming substrate 4 does not need to form the ground layer, so that the probe forming substrate itself is served as the ground layer. In place, it is possible to use the system of lowering the resistance of the surface by doping boron on the overall surface of the structure after forming the structure of the cantilever 21 and the probe 6.

In the sectional structure shown in FIG. 7, the insulating layer may be the same layer as shown in FIG. 3. In place, it may be composed of two insulating films. By thermally oxidizing the silicon surface, the insulating film (thermal oxidation film) may be easily formed along the form of the structure. However, the insulating layer located under the wire needs to have a thickness of 5 μm to 30 μm. Hence, the thermal oxidation film 23 may be thicker. However, the speed of forming the thermal oxidation film is likely to be slow in inverse proportional to time. It takes about 27 hours to form the thermal oxidation film having a thickness of 4 μm using the wet thermal oxidizing method needs about 27 hours. Hence, in place of the thermal oxidation film, the insulating film 18 may be formed.

In the structure shown in FIG. 7, after the thermal oxidation film 23 is formed to have a thickness of 3 μm, the insulating film 18 is formed on the thermal oxidation film 23 so that the film 18 may have a thickness of 22 μm. In particular, the insulating layer is formed on the surface of the electrode pad and the slope. This is because the wire located in the cantilever is air-insulated. The silicon material should have a lower resistance than 0.0 Ωcm. Further, it is preferable to use the polyimide resin for the insulating film 18. Moreover, it is also preferable to keep the thickness of the thermal oxidation film 4 μm or lower and the thickness of the thermal oxidation film and the insulating film 3 μm to 30 μm.

The foregoing structure makes it possible to eliminate the noise and reduce the inductance, thereby matching the impedance of the wires to that of the measuring system. The testing equipment constructed to use the probe forming substrate according to the present invention enables to prevent the influence of the signal of each wire on the adjacent wire. The matching of the impedance between the wires and the measuring system makes it possible to do a fast test with a high frequency.

In order to test at a batch a wafer to be tested, the probe forming substrate 4 needs to take the necessary electrode pads in the range of one chip area of the wafer. This is because in the case of taking the electrode pads from a larger area of one chip, the positions of the electrode pads are widened from the center to the outer periphery, resulting in making the length of the wire longer as the wire is closer to the outer periphery. Hence, the length of the wire and the electrostatic capacity of an overall signal line are made variable in respective chips, thereby causing to lower the driving frequency and making the test less reliable.

Further, in the case of doing various tests, the required number of pads are changed according to the tests. In order to perform various tests in the wafer, it is necessary to produce the same number of probes and electrode pads as the electrode pads of one chip of the wafer on the probe forming substrate. In actual, however, it is necessary to form about 80 probes and electrode pads over an area of about 40mm².

Hence, the positions of the electrode pads will be described with reference to FIGS. 8-13. FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a structure in which through holes are opened in part of the probe forming substrate for forming wires. FIG. 9 is a plan view from the electrode pad side of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an elevation view from the probe side.

In FIG. 8, the probe 6, the cantilever 21 and the through holes 24 are formed in the probe forming substrate 4. The wires 7 a and 7 b are formed on the thermal oxidation film 23 and are led from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b through-the through hole.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the wire 7 a is connected from a plurality of probes 6 formed on the cantilever 21 of the probe forming substrate 4 to the electrode pad 3 b via the through hole 24 and the wire 7 b. The electrode pad 3 b is positioned so that it is kept out of the through hole 36. Hence, the distance between the probe and the electrode pad is made longer.

In this structure, the size W of one side of the opening on the electrode pad side of the through hole 24 may be represented by the following expression:

W=H+(2T//2^(½))

wherein T denotes a thickness of the probe forming substrate and H denotes a size of the opening on the probe side.

For example, if the size of the opening on the probe side is 50 μm in the silicon wafer having a thickness of 500 μm, the size of one side in the opening of the electrode pad side of the through hole 24 is made to be 757 μm, and the area is 0.57 mm². In order to form 80 electrode pads, only the area of the through hole reaches 45.6 mm². Hence, it is difficult to form the through hole and the electrode pad substantially at a time.

In turn, the description will be oriented to the most approximate position of the electrode pad. The section of the structure worked on the probe forming substrate by the silicon anisotropic etching is shown in FIG. 11. The plan view from the electrode pad of FIG. 11 is shown in FIG. 12. The elevation from the probe side is shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 11, the probe 6 and the cantilever 21 are worked on the probe forming substrate 4. The wires 7 a and 7 b are formed on the thermal oxidation film 23 and the insulating film 18 and are connected from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b through the cantilever.

In particular, it will be understood from FIGS. 12 and 13 that the wire 7 a is led from a plurality of probes 6 formed on the cantilever 21 of the probe forming substrate 4 to the electrode pad 3 b through the tip portion of the cantilever by means of the wire 7 b. Unlike the foregoing structure, this structure does not need to locate the electrode pad in avoidance of the through hole, which makes it possible to form far more electrode pads on a small area. Hence, the distance between the probe and the electrode pad is made shorter and thus the electrostatic capacity is made smaller accordingly, thereby allowing the fast operation. Further, the absence of the through hole serves to improve the strength of the probe forming substrate.

The structure made to reduce the disposition area of the electrode pads is shown in FIG. 14. As shown, this structure is arranged to layout the same number of electrode pads 3 b symmetrically on the probe forming substrate 4, locate the cantilever in combination with those electrode pads, and make the wires 7 b staggered, for the purpose of reducing the disposition area of the electrode pads.

Since no through hole for wiring is formed, the electrode pad surface is made levelled, which makes it easy to form the multi-layered wiring structure. In the case of forming the multi-layered wiring in the probe forming substrate having through holes formed by the anisotropic etching described above or vertical holes, the necessary holes are required to be connected with each other by the wires. Hence, the working process is so sophisticated that it needs high accuracy. On the other hand, in the case of forming the multi-layered wiring in the probe forming substrate according to the present invention, it is just necessary to connect the necessary electrode pads with the conductive layer formed on the substrate surface. Hence, the working process is not so sophisticated that it does not need so high accuracy. One example is shown in FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the multi-layered wiring according to the present invention. Inside of the probe forming substrate 4 are formed ground layers 20 f and 20 g. The electrode pad 3 f indicates an electrode pad for a ground line. The electrode pad 3 g indicates an electrode pad for a power line. The electrode pad 3 b indicates an electrode pad for a signal line. The electrode pad 3 f is connected to the ground layer 20 f by means of a metallic layer 19 f. The electrode pad 3 g is connected to the ground layer 20 g by means of a metallic layer 19 g. The connection of the ground line and the power line to the corresponding ground layers makes it possible to do the fast operation.

In turn, the description will be oriented to the working process of forming the probe forming substrate 4 using the micro machining technology. FIG. 16 shows the working process of the structure. FIGS. 17 and 18 shows the working process of the wires.

As shown in FIG. 16A, at first, a silicon wafer 26 in thickness of 500 μm and (100) direction is prepared. Next, a thermal oxidation film in thickness of 0.5 μm is formed on the silicon wafer. Then, using the photolithography, the series of processes of resist coating, pattern exposure, developing, and etching of thermal oxidation film are executed on the thermal oxidation film 23 formed on the surface of the silicon wafer 26, for forming a mask pattern for a probe 6. In order to obtain the target tip shape of the probe, a compensation pattern is formed on the mask pattern in order to cope with a corner defect caused by the etching.

Then, in order to form a step of 20 μm, one side of the silicon wafer is subject to the anisotropic etching by means of potassium hydroxide solution at the temperature of 65° C. As a result, the probe 6 is formed as shown in FIG. 16B. At this time, a slope is formed on the probe forming section, which slope indicates a (111) plane. The etching speed is slower in this plane than the other crystalline plane. For etching the silicon wafer, in place of the potassium hydroxide solution, another wet etching solution may be used such as ethylene diamine pyrocatechol, tetramethyl ammonium hydro oxide, and hydrazine.

Further, as shown in FIG. 16C, in order to isolate the probe 6, one side of the silicon wafer is subject to the series of processes of resist coating, pattern exposure, developing and etching of a thermal oxidation film using the photolithoprocess on the portion except a beam. The process results in forming the beam pattern composed of the thermal oxidation film 23.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16D, the silicon wafer is etched to a beam thickness using the anisotropic etching, for forming a bottom surface 27.

Using the working process as described above, the thermal oxidation film is reformed. Then, as shown in FIG. 16E, the thermal oxidation film 23 formed on the rear side of the probe is worked in a pattern manner. Then, as shown in FIG. 16F, the silicon wafer is etched only to the beam thickness using the anisotropic etching. At this time, since the probe 6 is protected by the thermal oxidation film 23, the shape of the probe is held. Moreover, by adjusting the etching amount, it is possible to control the thickness of the finally left beam.

At last, the thermal oxidation film is removed. Then, as shown in FIG. 16G, the structure in which the probes 6 and the cantilever 21 are worked is completed. The working technology has been expanded with reference to the thermal oxidation film formed as a mask material for the anisotropic etching. In place, a silicon nitride film or a compound film composed of a thin thermal oxidation film and the silicon nitride film formed thereon may be used as the mask material. Further, according to the present invention, the etching work of the substrate is not limited to the anisotropic etching work. It may be done by some dry etching devices such as the RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) device and the ion milling device in combination.

Next, the working process of the wires will be described with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17A shows the structure where the probe 6 and the cantilever 21 are worked by the working process. As shown in FIG. 17B, the ground layer 20 made of a metallic film is formed on both sides of the structure. This ground layer may be formed of copper to a thickness of 5 μm by means of the sputtering device and the plating device. Then, as shown in FIG. 17C, the insulating film 17 composed of polyimide is formed on the ground layer 20 to have a thickness of 25 μm. In place of the polyimide, the insulating film 17 is composed of a resin material or silicon oxide by means of the fast sputtering device.

Then, as shown in FIG. 17D, the holes 28 required for conducting with the ground layer are formed using the photolithoprocess. As shown in FIG. 17E, the metallic layer 19 is formed on the hole 28 using the lift-off method. As a method for forming the metallic layer, it is possible to form a metal mask on the portion except the holes 28 and a metallic layer through the effect of the sputtering or the evaporation.

Lastly, a film of Cr with a thickness of 20 nm is formed and then a film of Au with a thickness of 1000 nm is formed with a thick film resist by means of the sputtering device and the lift-off method. Then, a film of Cu with a thickness of 10 μm is formed on the film of Au and then a film of Ni with a thickness of 2 μm is formed on the film of Au by means of the plating device. The formation of these films results in forming the wire 7 led from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b. In place of Cr, a material of Ti may be used. This is because the films of Cr and Ti are formed for improving the adhesion between the ground and the film of Au. The wire material may be any material if it is not soluble at the temperature of 150° C. or higher and may be formed as an electric conductive film. In place of the sputtering device, the devices used for forming the wires may be the vaporing device or the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) device. In place of the lift-off method, the method for forming the wires may employ the process of forming a thin film on the overall surface of the substrate by means of the resist such as an electrodeposit resist or a spray resist on which a resist pattern may be formed three-dimensionally, performing the photolithography, etching the substrate for forming the wires, and plating the wires.

FIG. 18A shows the structure where the probes 6 and the cantilever 21 are worked by the foregoing working process. Then, as shown in FIG. 18B, the thermal oxidation film 23 is formed. The silicon wafer used herein has so low a resistance as 0.01 Ωcm. This is because the structure where the silicon wafer is worked is used as a conductor. The thickness of the thermal oxidation film is made to be 3 μm.

Then, the insulating film 18 composed of polyimide is formed on the flat surface and the slope surface as opposed to the probe forming surface so that the film 18 may have a thickness of 22 μm. In this case, the polyimide film may be formed on both of the overall surfaces because of the easiness of the working process. The insulating film 18 may be formed of a resin material except polyimide or silicon oxide using the fast sputtering device.

Next, as shown in FIG. 18D, the holes required for conducting with the silicon wafer are formed using the photolithoprocess. As shown in FIG. 18E, the metallic layer 19 is formed on the hole 28 using the lift-off method. Further, the metallic layer may be formed by the sputtering or evaporation after a metal mask is formed on the portion except the hole 28.

Last, as shown in FIG. 18F, with a thick film resist, a film of Cr is formed to have a thickness of 20 nm and then a film of Au is formed to have a thickness of 1000 nm by means of the sputtering device and the lift-off method. On the film of AU is formed a film of Cu with a thickness of 10 μm. Then, on the film of Cu is formed a film of Ni with a thickness of 2 μm by means of the plating device. The resulting structure is made to have the wire 7 led from the probe 6 to the electrode pad 3 b. The wiring material may be any material if it is not soluble at a temperature of 150° C. or higher and may be formed as an electric conductive film. The devices used for forming the wire may be another device rather than the sputtering device, such as the deposition device or the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) device. Further, the method for forming the wire is not limited to the foregoing lift-off method. In place, the wire may be formed by the process of forming a film on the overall surface of the substrate with a resist where the resist pattern is formed three-dimensionally, such as an electrodeposit resist or a spray resist, the photolithography, the etching, and the plating. For working the silicon wafer, the ICP-RIE (Inductively Coupled Plasm-RIE) device for doing the work at a high aspect ratio may be used. The use of the device makes it possible to form the cantilever structured at a high aspect ratio at a narrow pitch. The possible formation of the thick beam leads to a strong beam. By changing the length and the sectional form of the beam, it is possible to freely design the pressure to be applied on the electrode pad of the wafer to-be-tested.

FIG. 19 shows an appearance view provided if the foregoing structures of the present invention are applied to the probe forming substrate. A plurality of chips 25 are formed on the wafer 2 to be tested in length of 8 inches. On each of the chips is formed a plurality of electrode pads 3 a. On the other hand, on the probe forming substrate 4 according to the present invention, the probes are formed at the corresponding positions to the electrode pads formed on the wafer to be tested. Hence, the same number of electrode pads 3 b as the probes are formed. Further, the wire 7 is routed from the probe to the electrode pad 3 b. By keeping the probe forming substrate 4 in contact with the wafer 2 to be tested, various kinds of tests can be executed over one wafer at a batch.

The application of the probing test, the burn-in test and the final test to the foregoing wafer batch testing equipment according to the present invention results in making the contact resistance between the electrode pad of the wafer to be test and the probe end terminal as small as 0.1 Ω or less and the test frequency as large as 500 MHz or more. The life of the wafer to be tested is three hundred thousand times or more. Though the atmosphere temperature is changed from a room temperature to 180° C., the excellent contact is held between the electrode of the wafer to be tested and the electrode pad. Further, the data about the defective chip contained in the wafer to be tested at each step is stored. At the next test, the system with no test of the defective chip is employed.

Further, according to the present invention, the probe forming substrate employs a silicon wafer of 8 inches. However, since the probe forming substrate is worked to have the same size as the chip of the wafer to be tested, in place, it is possible to die the wafer of 6 inches and selectively combine the died parts. In this case, if the probe forming substrate is partially broken, the part may be easily exchanged.

According to the present invention, as mentioned above, the same number of structures as the electrode pads of the wafer to be tested are formed. In place, two or more structures may be formed for each electrode pad. In testing the wafer to be tested, if the probe is dead due to its life, two or more structures formed for one electrode pad may be used merely by changing the position.

Moreover, according to the present invention, various kinds of tests are made possible without dieing in the wafer size to be tested. Hence, it is possible provide the probe forming substrate structured to suit to each test specification.

As described above, the test of the fast device is made possible, so that the semiconductor element or the electronic part may be supplied at very low cost even after it is tested.

According to the present invention, the wafer batch testing device provides a function of supplying a wide range of frequencies for testing a device. Hence, the testing device is capable of performing various kinds of tests just in the size of a wafer to be tested. Moreover, the testing device enables to shorten the testing time and is superior in mass productivity and thus provides a highly reliable semiconductor device at low cost. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An equipment for testing a semiconductor element comprising a first substrate composed of silicon with respective cantilevers and respective probes, the respective probes being formed on the respective cantilevers on one surface of said first substrate and being placed in direct contact with each of plural first electrode pads formed on said semiconductor element to be tested, second electrode pads being formed on an opposite surface of said first substrate to said one surface thereof other than on the cantilever and a wire is routed along and over a tip of each of said probes which is formed on said one surface of said first substrate and along and over a tip of each of said cantilevers to each of said second electrode pads.
 2. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein on said one surface of said first substrate on which said probes are formed, a ground wiring layer composed of metal is formed so as to enclose said first substrate; an insulating layer is formed on said ground wiring layer; and a plurality of wires are formed on said insulating layer.
 3. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plurality of wires include signal lines, a power line and a ground line, said power line and said ground line are thicker than each of said signal lines; said power line and said ground line are electrically conducted with said ground layer near said second electrode pads; and said signal lines are electrically conducted with said ground layer near said probes.
 4. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thickness of said insulating layer ranges from 3 μm to 30 μm.
 5. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first substrate is composed of low-resistive silicon; an insulating layer is formed on said first substrate, and a plurality of wires are formed on said insulating layer.
 6. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said plurality of wires, a power line and a ground line are thicker than each of signal lines; said power line and said ground line are electrically conducted with a low resistive silicon layer near said second electrode pads; and said signal lines are electrically conducted with said low resistive silicon layer near said probes.
 7. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 6, wherein an insulating layer is formed on said first substrate composed of low resistive silicon and includes a first insulating film and a second insulating film.
 8. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first insulating film is formed of thermal oxidation film composed of silicon dioxide; and said second insulating film is formed of polyimide resin.
 9. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first insulating film has a thickness of 3 μm or less; and a thickness of said first and second insulating films ranges from 3 μm to 30 μm.
 10. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 5, wherein said plurality of wires include signal lines, a power line and a ground line, said power line and said ground line are thicker than each of said signal lines; said power line and said ground line are electrically conducted with a low resistive silicon layer near said second electrode pads; and said signal lines are electrically conducted with said low resistive silicon layer near said probes.
 11. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 10, wherein said insulating layer formed on said first substrate composed of low resistive silicon is formed of a first insulating film and a second insulating film.
 12. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first insulating film is formed of thermal oxidation film composed of silicon dioxide; and said second insulating film is formed of polyimide resin.
 13. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first insulating film has a thickness of 3 μm or less; and a thickness of said first and second insulating films ranges from 3 μm to 30 μm.
 14. A semiconductor testing equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wire is routed from said tip of each of said probes to each of said second electrode pads of said first substrate on an insulating film formed on an outer periphery of said cantilever from said probes to said second electrode pads. 